Trace-fastener



Figs. l and 2 of the drawings so as to irmly and securely clamp tlietrace to the whiflie- Uwrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARVEY GIBSON, OF BRUIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.493,264, dated March 14,1893. Application tiled May 14, 1892. Serial No. 433,049. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern/.-

Beit known that I, JOHN HARVEY GIBSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bruin, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Fasteners andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specication.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for securing traces towhiftle-trees, and has for its object to provide means which will permitof the easy and quick attachment vand detachment of the trace to or fromthe whiftle tree, and which will admit of the traces being detached bythe occupant of the vehicle from his place in the vehicle when the sameshall be necessary or desirable.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear the invention consists in the construction and thecombination of parts hereinafter particularly described and thenclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof and in which Figure I is a perspective of a portion of thewhiiile-tree having my device applied thereto and showing in dottedlines one of the traces secured in place, and Fig. 2 a is a plan view ofpart of a Whittle-tree with my device applied thereto, portions of thesame being in section and two positions of the cam lever represented,one being in dotted lines.

In the drawings the letter A designates a portion of a whiftle-treeprovided with a metal cap B which I preferably form with earsC toprevent the trace D when inserted between them from rising or fallingout of place. To the rear side of the whiftle-tree near each end Iattach a bearing or bracket E in which is pivoted, by a pin F, a cam Gdesigned when turned in one direction to press against the portion ofthe trace which is passed between said cam and the whiftle tree asillustrated in tree and thus hold itin place. I prefer to provide thiscam with an extended arm H which makes a cam lever that renders it easyto manipulate the cam. From the end of this lever I prefer to extend acord I or its equivalent Which will reach to a point within easy accessof the occupant of the vehicle so that by pulling on said cord the camwill be turned so as to release the trace and permit the horse to leavethe shafts in the event of a runaway, or under other conditions makingit desirable to release the horse from the shafts by the driver whenseated in the vehicle.

I prefer to roughen or serrate the surface of the cam or the face of thebracket next to the under side of the trace as indicated by the letter.I in Fig. 2 of the drawings so as to insure a more secure holding orclamping of the trace to the whiftle-tree. I also prefer to enlarge theeye in the cam D through which the holding pin F passes so that the cammay be shifted on said pin to increase oli-lessen the eccentricity ofthe cam for the purpose of obtaining a greater or less pressure of thecam upon the trace, or to accommodate different thicknesses of trace,there being provided for said eye a hard rubber packing indicated by theletter K, or other means, for filling up the surplus space in said eyeafter the cam has been adjusted to the extent desired thus holding thecam to its adjustment as will be obvious to the skilled in the art.

I prefer to form the end cap D and the bracket Elin one piece asillustrated but the same is not absolutely necessary.

Under the construction described the traces can be adjusted to thelength desired by simply passing more or less of it under the cam asillustrated in Figs. l and 2 and thus obtain the length desired Withoutthe necessity of buckling and unbuckling the traces at the shoulders ofthe horse as is usual under other constructions, or the buckles may beomitted entirely. It also allows of a quicker adjustment of the traces,and a quicker attachment and detachment of the same to and from thewhiflie-tree besides enabling the traces to be released from thewhifIie-tree by the driver in the vehicle when necessary or desirable.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimisl. In a trace fastener, the combination with a whiftle tree, of abracket secured to the end IOO thereof and having a fulcrum pin, a camlever tted in said bracket and having an enlarged eye to receive saidfulcrum-pin and permit adjustment of the cam, and means for holding saidcam to its adjustment, substantialiy as described.

2. In a trace fastener, the combination with the Whiie tree of the endcap therefor provided with ears to hold the trace in place ro and with abracket, in combination with a cam lever pivoted in said bracket toclamp the trace between the tree and the cam, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

In testimony whereof I atx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HARVEY GIBSON.

Witnesses:

R. P. DANBENSPECK, LEONIE WILLMINE KELLY.

